New pharmacy hopes to break ground by end of the year

The new Rancho Santa Fe Pharmacy is moving quickly through the county approval process, according to Rancho Santa Fe Association Building Commissioner Tom Farrar. The goal is to break ground by the end of December 2018 or early 2019.

The pharmacy will be moving from its existing spot to a new 4,466-square-foot building on the vacant lot on El Tordo and La Granada. According to Farrar, San Diego County has approved the site plan and soil reclamation plan— as the building was built to zone and in total conformance, the last step will just be to get a full construction permit from the county.

The state-of-the-art pharmacy will enhance security over the existing location and help meet state-mandated requirements for pharmacies. The space will include a shop with some basic groceries, possibly some offerings like ice cream and sandwiches, Farrar said.

The design of the building is in the Lilian Rice architectural style with a shaded arcade with archways, tiled alcoves and 12 rooftop parking spaces. The only variance required from the Association was for the parking on the roof.

The Association will finalize its building permit once the project is approved and work with the developers on a construction management plan so the impact is minimized for residents and community members.